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The Guardian reported on the 26th May that “UK volunteering soars during coronavirus crisis” – that recent research suggests 10m have helped in their community and most plan to continue.

At Seashell, this year for volunteers’ week, we wish to put a spotlight on our volunteers & say thank you for how they have helped Seashell through this unique period of time and the challenges we faced.

We have enjoyed the support of corporate volunteers for over ten years at Seashell Trust and having the teams in, especially through the summer months when keeping the gardens safe and sensory is a never ending task, is not just a ‘nice to have’. We couldn’t function without them. It is also events season and our corporate volunteers don’t just add person-power to our events – they bring an objective eye and a truckload of fabulous ideas that truly add value to our activities.

We recently received a generous donation of £3,600 from the Greater Manchester High Sheriff's Police Trust, which enabled us to purchase 20 LuSu Sports KitBags for our children and young people to use during our CADS events.

Due to COVID19 we have moved our CADS events into the digital world, setting up a Facebook group so those children and young people who participate in the sporting activities don’t miss out. The LuSu KitBags will really help the team at Seashell deliver the new format of CADS to individuals isolating at home.

Having a child with complex needs at home unexpectedly can be difficult and confusing for both the child and their extended family. Seashell Trust has been reaching out to the families of the children and young people it supports and to other families in the same situation.

Here, Seashell’s Royal School Manchester horticulture teacher, Jean Barratt, has put together some ideas about how to make the most of the growing season.

In order to teach a student with autism, you need to allow them to teach you first. Learn everything you can about the world they live in before you ask them to change it or adapt it in order to live in yours.